EPA Wants To Cover Contaminated Soil In Bridgeton

BRIDGETON, Mo. (AP) -- An Environmental Protection Agency plan calls for contaminated soil at an old landfill in north St. Louis County to be covered, rather than dug up and hauled away.
The 200-acre West Lake Landfill is a Superfund site contaminated by Cold War-era weapons work. Critics say the contamination, which sits near the Missouri River, should be removed.
The E.P.A. says the radioactive contamination can be safely managed using conventional landfill techniques. But he says the current cover system, along with monitoring and maintenance, need to be improved.
The cost is estimated at $23 million over 30 years. Removing the contaminated soil would cost more than three times as much.
(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)